Camera bracket

ABSTRACT

The present invention is a bracket for use with a camera and a flash unit. The bracket comprises a base support member having a mounting portion adapted to engage with the bottom surface of the camera. The bracket further comprises a vertical support member engaged to the base support member. The bracket further comprises a horizontal support member engaged to the vertical support member. The bracket further comprise a flash unit support arm moveably engaged to the horizontal support member. The flash unit support arm extends from a first end portion to a second end portion which is adapted to mount the flash unit. The flash unit support arm is rotatable from a first position where the flash unit support arm extends inward to the vertical support member to allow the person to orientate the bracket to take a horizontal photograph to a second position where the flash unit support arm extends outward from the vertical support member to allow the person to orientate the bracket to take a vertical photograph. The bracket further comprise a first handle member engaged with the base support member and a second handle member engaged with the vertical support member. The first and second handle members extend outward from the base support member and the vertical support member, respectively. The first and second handle members are each disposed in close proximity to the center of gravity of the bracket. In the first position, the photographer may with a single hand grasp the first handle member to support the bracket and focus the camera to take a horizontal photograph. In the second position, the photographer may with a single hand gasp the second handle member to support the bracket and focus the camera to take a vertical photograph.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] Professional photographers use expensive cameras and flash unitsto obtain a high quality photographic image. A few brackets have beendeveloped that support the camera and allow the photographer toorientate the bracket to take a horizontal or a vertical photograph.Such conventional brackets have several drawbacks. For example, suchconventional brackets do not allow the professional photographer tograsp the bracket in a balanced and secure manner to comfortably andreliably orientate the camera to take a horizontal or a verticalphotograph. Such conventional brackets due not adequately support thecamera during extensive use and orientation. With such conventionalbrackets, the camera due to its weight is allowed to deflect from thebracket thereby creating a situation where the camera may become damagedand/or where the photographer cannot take consistent verticalphotographs.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0002] The present invention is a bracket for use with a camera and aflash unit. In one embodiment, the bracket comprises a base supportmember having a mounting portion adapted to engage with the bottomsurface of the camera. The bracket further comprises a vertical supportmember engaged to the base support member. The bracket further comprisesa horizontal support member engaged to the vertical support member. Thebracket further comprise a flash unit support arm moveably engaged tothe horizontal support member. The flash unit support arm extends from afirst end portion to a second end portion which is adapted to mount theflash unit. The flash unit support arm is rotatable from a firstposition where the flash unit support arm extends inward to the verticalsupport member to allow the person to orientate the bracket to take ahorizontal photograph to a second position where the flash unit supportarm extends outward from the vertical support member to allow the personto orientate the bracket to take a vertical photograph. The bracketfurther comprise a first handle member engaged with the base supportmember and a second handle member engaged with the vertical supportmember. The first and second handle members extend outward from the basesupport member and the vertical support member, respectively. The firstand second handle members are each disposed in close proximity to thecenter of gravity of the bracket. In the first position, thephotographer may with a single hand grasp the first handle member tosupport the bracket and focus the camera to take a horizontalphotograph. In the second position, the photographer may with a singlehand gasp the second handle member to support the bracket and focus thecamera to take a vertical photograph.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0003] The following description of the invention will be more fullyunderstood with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

[0004]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a first embodiment of the camerabracket of the present invention depicted in a first operable positionwhere the person may take a horizontal photograph;

[0005]FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the camera bracket of the presentinvention depicted in a second operable position where the person maytake a vertical photograph; and

[0006]FIG. 3 is a cross-section view taken along lines 3-3 of FIG. 2showing the flash unit support arm rotatably connected to the mountingbracket and secured in a second operable position by use of an indexplunger.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0007] Referring to FIGS. 1-3, the present invention is a bracket 20 foruse with a camera 10 and a flash unit 18. The camera 10 includes abottom surface 12, a side surface 14, and a lens 16.

[0008] In one embodiment, the bracket 20 comprises a base support member22 having a mounting portion 24 adapted to engage with the bottomsurface 12 of the camera by a fastener such as a machine screw 26.

[0009] The bracket 20 further comprises a vertical support member 28having first and second end portions 30 and 32. The first end portion 30is engaged to the base support member 22. In the embodiment shown, thevertical support member 28 is substantially perpendicular to the basesupport member 22.

[0010] The bracket 20 further comprises a horizontal support member 34having first and second end portions 36 and 38. The first end portion 36is engaged to the second end portion 32 of the vertical support member28. In the embodiment shown, the horizontal support member 34 issubstantially perpendicular to the vertical support member 28 andparallel to the base support member 22.

[0011] The bracket 20 further comprises a mounting bracket 20 havingfirst and second sidewalls 42 and 44. Sidewall 42 is connected to thesecond end portion 38 of the horizontal support member 34. The secondsidewall 44 comprises a first opening 62 through which a bolt 48 ispassed there thru. The second side wall 44 further comprises a secondopening 66 The bracket 20 further comprises an index plunger 51 securedby threads into the second opening 66 and having a pin body 52 and ahandle 54. The index plunger 51 is available from J.W. Winco, Inc., 2815S. Calhoun Road, New Berlin, Wis. 53151 as Part No. GN607. Pulling ofthe handle 54 causes the pin body 52 to retract to a biased state.

[0012] The bracket 20 further comprises a flash unit support arm 56moveably engaged to the second end portion 38 of the horizontal supportmember 34. In the embodiment shown, the flash unit support arm 56 isrotatably engaged with the horizontal support member 34. The flash unitsupport arm 56 extends from a first end portion 58 to a second endportion 60 which is adapted to mount the flash unit 18. The flash unitsupport arm 56 comprises a handle member 69 which can be operated by theperson to move the flash unit support arm 56 a first position 70 wherethe flash unit support arm 56 extends inward to the vertical supportmember 28 to allow the person to orientate the bracket 20 and camera 10to take a horizontal photograph to a second position 72 where the flashunit support arm 56 extends outward from the vertical support member 28to allow the person to orientate the bracket 20 to take a verticalphotograph. The flash unit support arm 56 further comprises a firstopening 62 located in proximity to the second end portion 60. The bolt48 passes through the first opening 46 of the mounting bracket 40 andthe first opening 62 of the second end portion 60 so that the flash unitsupport arm 56 may be rotated with respect to the second sidewall 44 ofthe mounting bracket 40. The bolt 58 is secured by a fastener such as anut 64. The flash unit support arm further comprises second and thirdopenings spaced from the first opening 62 by distances D1 and D2,respectively. In the embodiment shown, the distance D1 is equal to thedistance D2 thereby allowing the second and third openings 66 and 60 toalign with the second opening 50 of the mounting bracket 40. Withdrawalof the pin body 52 by pulling of the pin handle 54 allows the flash unitsupport arm 56 to rotate about the second end portion 60 of the mountingbracket 40. Upon release of the pin handle 54, the flash unit supportarm 56 may be selectively rotated by the person to the first position 70where the second opening 50 of the mounting bracket 40 is aligned withthe second opening 66 or to the second position 72 where the secondopening 50 of the mounting bracket 40 is aligned with the third opening68 of the flash unit support arm 56.

[0013] The bracket 20 may further comprise a first handle member 74engaged with the base support member 22 and a second handle member 76engaged with the vertical support member 28. The first and second handlemembers 74 and 76 extend outward from the base support member 22 and thevertical support member 28, respectively. The first and second handlesmembers 74 and 76 are preferably in the shape of a knob or otherergonomic shape to allow the person to comfortable and securely graspthe first and second handle members 74 and 76 within the palm of theperson's hand so that the person with a single hand may grasp either thefirst or the second handle member 74 and 76 (depending upon orientation)to concurrently support the bracket and adjust the lens or focus thecamera. The first and second handle members 74 and 76 may be screwedinto the base support member 22 and vertical support member 28,respectively, thereby allowing for outward extension of the handlemembers 74 and 76 to be increased or decreased as desired. When thebracket 20 is orientated to the first position 70, the first handlemember 74 is disposed below the camera 10 and in proximity to andaligned with the center of gravity of the assembly so that person with asingle hand may support and balance the bracket 20, and focus thecamera, to take a horizontal photograph. When the bracket 20 isorientated to the second position 72, the second handle member 76 isdisposed below the camera 10 and in proximity to and aligned with thecenter of gravity of the assembly so that person with a single hand maysupport and balance the bracket 20, and focus the camera, to take avertical photograph.

[0014] The bracket 20 may further comprise a first camera support member78 in bearing contact with the first side surface 14 of the camera 10 toprevent deflection of the camera 10 when the person orientates thebracket 20 to the second position 72 to take a vertical photograph. Thefirst camera support member 78 has a first end portion 80 engaged withthe vertical support member 28 and a second end portion 82 in close orbearing contact with the side surface 14 of the camera 10.Alternatively, the first end portion 80 of the first camera supportmember 78 may be engaged with the base support member 22 to likewiseprovide close or bearing contact with the side surface 14 of the camera10. The length of the first camera support member 78 is adjustable toposition the second end portion 82 in close or bearing contact with theside surface 14 of the camera 10.

[0015] The bracket 20 further comprises third and fourth handle members86 and 88 engaged with the vertical support member 28 and the horizontalsupport member 34. Third and fourth members 86 and 88 are made from afoam cushion material and may be used by the person for non-operationalpurposes such as general carrying purposes.

[0016] The bracket 20 further comprises a plurality of legs 84 extendingdownward from the base support member 22 to support the bracket 20 on asurface.

[0017] The base support member 22, vertical support member 28,horizontal support member 34, mounting bracket 40, and the flash unitsupport arm 56 are made from a strong material such as steel andfabricated from bending and machining operations. Other materials suchas polymers would be desirable if durable and strength could beachieved. The base support member 22, vertical support member 28,horizontal support member 34, and the mounting bracket 40 may be formedas a single piece of material or multiple pieces fastened together.

[0018] The bracket 20 may further comprise a strap 90 connected to theupper portion of the vertical support member 28 and adapted to be wornaround the person's neck.

[0019] The foregoing description is intended primarily for purposes ofillustration. This invention may be embodied in other forms or carriedout in other ways without departing from the spirit or scope of theinvention. Modifications and variations still falling within the spiritor the scope of the invention will be readily apparent to those of skillin the art.

What is claimed is:
 1. A bracket for use with a camera and a flash unit,the camera having a bottom surface, a side surface, and a lens, thebracket comprises: (a) a base support member having a mounting portionadapted to engage with the bottom surface of the camera; (b) a verticalsupport member engaged to said base support member; (c) a horizontalsupport member engaged to said vertical support member; (d) a flash unitsupport arm moveably engaged to said horizontal support member, saidflash unit support arm extends from a first end portion to a second endportion which is adapted to mount the flash unit, said flash unitsupport arm is moveable from a first position where the flash unitsupport arm extends inward to said first vertical support member toallow the person to orientate the bracket to take a horizontalphotograph to a second position where the flash unit support arm extendsoutward from said vertical support member to allow the person toorientate the bracket to take a vertical photograph.
 2. The bracket ofclaim 1, further comprising a first handle member engaged with said basesupport member and a second handle member engaged with said verticalsupport member, said first and second handle members extending outwardfrom the base support member and vertical support member, respectively.3. The bracket of claim 2, wherein said first handle member is disposedbelow the camera and in close proximity to the center of gravity of thebracket so that in said first position the person may with a single handgrasp said first handle member to support the bracket, focus the camera,and take a horizontal photograph.
 4. The bracket of claim 3, whereinsaid second handle member is disposed below the camera and in closeproximity to the center of gravity of the bracket so that in said secondposition the person may with a single hand grasp said first handlemember to support the bracket, focus the camera, and take a verticalphotograph.
 5. The bracket of claim 4, further comprising a mountingbracket having a first sidewall engaged with said second end portion ofsaid horizontal support member and a second sidewall engaged with saidfirst end portion of said flash unit support arm.
 6. The bracket ofclaim 5, wherein said first end portion of said flash unit support armis rotatably connected to said second sidewall of said mounting bracket.7. The bracket of claim 6, wherein said flash unit support arm comprisesa handle member to allow the person to rotate the flash unit support armbetween said first position and said second position.
 8. The bracket ofclaim 7, wherein said first end portion of said flash unit support armcomprises first and second openings.
 9. The bracket of claim 8, furthercomprising an index plunger secured to said second side wall of saidmounting bracket, said index plunger having a pin.
 10. The bracket ofclaim 9, wherein said pi n is engaged with said first opening when saidflash unit support arm is moved to said first position.
 11. The bracketof claim 10, wherein said pin is engaged with said second opening whensaid flash unit support arm is moved to said second position.
 12. Thebracket of claim 11, further comprising a first camera support member inbearing contact with the first side surface of the camera to preventdeflection of the camera when the person orientates the bracket to saidsecond position to take a vertical photograph.
 13. The bracket of claim12, wherein said first camera support member has a first end portionengaged with said first support member and a second end portion inbearing contact with the first side of the camera.
 14. The bracket ofclaim 12, wherein said first camera support member has a first endportion engaged with said base support member and a second end portionin bearing contact with the first side of the camera.
 15. The bracket ofclaim 13, wherein said length of said first camera support member isadjustable to position said second end portion in bearing contact withthe first side 15 of the camera.
 16. The bracket of claim 15, furthercomprising a plurality of legs extending downward from said base supportmember to support the bracket on a surface.
 17. The bracket of claim 16,wherein said vertical support member is substantially perpendicular tosaid base support member.
 18. The bracket of claim 17, wherein saidhorizontal support member is substantially perpendicular to saidvertical support member and parallel to said base support member. 19.The bracket of claim 18, wherein said first handle member is in theshape of a knob.
 20. The bracket of claim 19, wherein said first andsecond handle members can be adjusted to change the length of said firstand second handle members from said base support member and saidvertical support member, respectively.